1. Field
An aspect of the present invention relates to a protection apparatus for a secondary battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, secondary batteries have been used as power sources of portable electronic devices in many fields, and accordingly, consumer demand for secondary batteries has rapidly increased. Secondary batteries can be charged and discharged several times and thus are economically and environmentally effective. Accordingly, the use of the secondary batteries is promoted.
A swelling phenomenon in which a secondary battery swells at a high temperature/high voltage due to gas or the like may occur in the secondary battery. The swelling phenomenon may cause an electrical short circuit. If an external impact is applied to the secondary battery in the state in which the secondary battery swells, a spark may occur, causing the secondary battery to explode.
Conventionally, the swelling phenomenon was overcome in such a manner that an extra space was provided in a battery pack having a secondary battery mounted therein so that a user could not perceive the occurrence of a swelling phenomenon of the secondary battery. However, merely increasing the space of the battery pack that holds the secondary battery is contrary to the competing goal of reducing the overall size of consumer electronic products, and also does not help to solve the swelling phenomenon from occurring in the first place.